England top the money league

Thursday 27 June 2002 19.34 EDT
First published on Thursday 27 June 2002 19.34 EDT

England might have arrived back in Heathrow a weekend prematurely but in economic terms its Premier League positively swaggers on the world stage. It outperforms rivals in Europe and beyond.

Yesterday the accountants Deloitte & Touche announced that the Premiership's income grew by 18% to £1.27bn during the 2000-2001 season, which is nearly a quarter of the top European leagues' combined revenue.

"If the World Cup had been based on finance and economics we'd be bringing the trophy home right now," said Gerry Boon, the head of Deloitte & Touche sport.

While the collapse of pay-television companies such as ITV Digital and Germany's Kirch has caused turmoil in some quarters, fruitful television deals and investment in stadium facilities have combined to enhance the Premier League's wealth.

"The damning indictment that football has got massive problems with its media does not apply to everyone," Boon said. "I do not think the next Premier League deal [with Sky] will be lower." However, though players' wages slowed down for the first time in five years, 16 of the 65 clubs who disclosed their finances to Deloitte & Touche revealed that expenditure on salaries exceeded their income, with Fulham's wages accounting for 195% of their turnover.

Newcastle were poised to sign Titus Bramble last night for an undisclosed fee after the Ipswich defender spent the day at St James' Park discussing personal terms and undergoing a medical.

Danny Murphy (foot) and Steven Gerrard (groin) will be fit in time for Liverpool's preseason training on July 10, after spending a summer of rehabilitation work at the club's Melwood training ground. Murphy is walking and Gerrard running again.

Gary Caldwell has joined Coventry on a one-year loan.

The 20-year-old had just signed a new deal with Newcastle but has now pledged himself to Coventry's promotion chase for next season.

The Arsenal striker Marieanne Spacey has joined Fulham Ladies. She had been with Arsenal since 1994 and two years ago, when Fulham turned professional, she was the only player approached who rejected a contract.

Spacey's move will be seen as a high-profile endorsement of the game's progress towards a professional league. "Hopefully," she said, "this will show that professionalism is the way forward for the game." Massimo Maccarone, the Italy Under-21 striker who has been a target for Middlesbrough and Birmingham, has spoken out against Serie A's failure to trust in youth. The Empoli player had repeatedly said he did not favour a move abroad but, after Roma and the Milanese clubs declined to commit themselves, he looks set to complete a £8m move to Middlesbrough.

The Republic of Ireland international Gary Breen has held talks with Everton over a possible switch to Goodison Park. The 28-year-old defender is without a club after his contract with First Division Coventry City expired.